Help Need ID

[mematrix]

Help Need ID(new pic)

Hi All. I bought these A. cacatuoides at an auction as a pair. But they seem to me to be both males. One has totally colored tail and the other has half of tail colored both have 2nd and 3rd dorsal rays extented/longer. And both front and square off to one another. I also have an other one but it is real shy when ti does come out all of them square of to one another. I don't have pics of third one. but the pics are here of the other 2 first 2 are of the one with colored tail the other 3 are of the one with half colored tail. http://photobucket.com/albums/y74/mematrix/ sorry for pic quality haven't mastered my photo program and camera yet. Sincerely Curtis

 

[_BaDgUy_]

First one looks like a male to me, second one like a female. Rather colorfull female!

 

[scott]

it's hard to tell from the pics but it looks like the second one might be a male as well, the ventrals look longer than females usually have but i can't really tell if they are black in the pic. my female cacs all have much shorter and stouter ventrals than the males and unlike the males greyish ventrals, the females are always black, even on my y/g's. also my males tend to have much bigger lips and a stronger jaw line. another thing to look for is the shape of the caudal fin, males have a lyrate shape and the females are round or maybe slightly truncate, only very old females might have short fin tips. good luck with them

male in front female behind(note the coloration and length of the ventrals of the male):
http://img2.uploadimages.net/491042DSC01083.JPG

female(note the black ventrals):
http://img2.uploadimages.net/172932DSC01193.JPG
http://img2.uploadimages.net/144307DSC01194.JPG

male(note the dorsal extensions and lyrate caudal):
http://img2.uploadimages.net/993112DSC01634.JPG

i am very sorry about the poor quality of the pictures, i am looking to get a better digicam very soon!

 

[_BaDgUy_]

I'll try to point out some key differences in both sexes

For the first 2 pictures of mematrix, the pictures are rather bad, so it is hard to difference it. But the one key feature that stands out, even with the clamped fins, is the pointed tip of the dorsal fin. The ventral fins also seem to be rather long.

For the 3 pictures after that, the quality is a bit better. The 3 first spines on the dorsal are short, and black, which the males usually lack, unless extensive black markins are present, but the male's 3 first dorsal spines will be elongated. Another point is the ventral fins, which seem to be rather dark grey, or black. The dorsal fin seems to be rounded, while the male's is pointed. The overall body coloration looks like it's yellow to me.

My conclusion is this : the first 2 pictures show a young male, while the other 3 show a mature female, with above average coloration in the tail.

Hope that helps

 

[scott]

ok, i keep going back and forth on it. in pics 3-4 it looks female but pic 5 kind of throws me off, i'm gonna change my mind here i think it's female. i'm sorry if i confused anyone i have a hard time sexing it from a pic. if i could see it in person i could be 100% sure. i look at cacs all the time as i have hundreds of them in my fish room.

 

[mematrix]

Re to posts

:redface: Hi Guys. Thanks David, Scott for the replies. Again I am sorry for poor quality pics. Out of about 30 those were the best. I cant seem to get the red out(may be visine) LOL. Sorry Could'nt help myself anyway I will try to get some better pics I have a lot of trouble with the photo editing program I have. I haven't Quite figured out the croping and getting it to still look identifyable. To me the one with half colored tail fin acts like a male though it's abdomin seems more lower not as streamlined as the one I know is a male. Again thanks for insites I will try to get some better pics. Sincerely Curtis

 

[mematrix]

Finally got close up

:biggrin: Hi all I finally got the photo program sortof figured. I got a better pic of the one in ?. on the album http;//wwwphotobucket.com/albums/y74/mematrix/ first one . Hope this helps I have been watching and looking close and the fentral fins none are dark black more lite colored to me. I might have to go to LFS near me he has some cacas they all look female in his tanks but they also look wild or f1 the other fem/male with no coloring came out of that tank. Not the auction like the ones with red tails. Still can't get good pic from her/him LOL . Sincerely Curtis